Drop of the day
Pakistan fluffed one chance to claim an early wicket when Vernon Philander's outside edge went between the wicketkeeper and first slip off Rahat Ali. The same bowler, however, was to be blamed for the loss of a second opportunity to make an early breakthrough. AB de Villiers pulled Mohammed Irfan straight to Rahat at fine leg, where all he had to do was collect. Instead, he found himself off balance, because he had gone down on his haunches to take the catch low, and the ball ended up popping out of his hands. De Villiers was on 107 at the time, and would eventually finish with 121.

Quick delivery of the day
As the burliest member of the South African squad, Rory Kleinveldt is often thought to be the slowest, but he proved that perception wrong today. After being helped over the slips for four by Imran Farhat, who had slashed at a no-ball, Kleinveldt must have been as angry with himself as he was with the batsman. He steamed in to bowl his next ball at 143.7kph, a short one aimed at Farhat's head. The opener ducked calmly, but his heart may have started beating faster knowing Kleinveldt could crank it up.

Interruption of the day
One of the more unusual objects guilty of causing a break in play made an appearance at SuperSport Park. A broom was left on the sightscreen at the West Lane End and the batsman Misbah-ul-Haq, perhaps thinking it was an omen for a clean sweep, wanted it removed. With none of the security officials responding, Vernon Philander was forced to mock sweep the grass until a helpful fan removed the cleaning equipment to the mild applause of the crowd.

Near-collision of the day
Spectacular catches have been one of the standout features of the series, and Dean Elgar could have taken another. Sarfraz Ahmed pushed at a Philander delivery and got a thick edge that flew to the left of Elgar at gully. He flung himself in the right direction, one-handed, while Faf du Plessis at third slip also went for the catch, diving to his right. The ball hit Elgar's hand and then fell between the two of them, and they nearly bumped heads, but in the end everything was missed.

Wicket of the day
Which one? Each of Kyle Abbott's seven deserve a mention but his last one is probably most deserving. After getting the ball to kick up off a length, exposing the opposition's uncertainty, he got his final wicket with a full ball that swung back into Younis Khan, striking him on his pads. Younis was trying to whip it away and missed, giving Abbott the second-best figures by a South African on debut.

I really want to know when SA is visting Pak( middle east ).. love to see then there with there so called ruthless attitude ....??

POSTED BY
wc1992
on | February 24, 2013, 8:12 GMT

Pak should not play test till cricket retune to Pak wich is never as zionest will not allow it .....and all the game that Pak play should be accounted as away rather then home as middle east is not Pakistan

POSTED BY
jmcilhinney
on | February 24, 2013, 3:23 GMT

@Sean Van Der Merwe on (February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT) and @TommytuckerSaffa on (February 23, 2013, 20:18 GMT), the funny thing is that the talk elsewhere is about the international schedule being too full and players not being able to play all formats or all series if things don't change. That said, given that England are playing about 15 Tests a year, maybe the ideal number is somewhere in the middle, as well as keeping limited-overs series to no more than 3 games. Now that SA are the dominant force in Test cricket, it is a real shame that they never seem to play more than 3 games in a series.

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 23:31 GMT

Somebody needs to do something about the lack of Test matches that SA plays,, perhaps firdose could write something on it?

SA administrators need to wake up. Our players work so hard, only to be let down by simple admiin bluffs, like failing to organise enough matches. It is extremely unfair on the players that the admin side can't pull their weight.

POSTED BY
Toescrusher
on | February 23, 2013, 22:35 GMT

Batsmen are selected through favoritism and regional bias Hafiz is the product of this policy; traditionally world-class batsmen come from Karachi and bowler from Lahore and its vicinity. PCB have total monopoly in selecting batsmen ICC must notice this monopoly to make cricket stronger sport in Pakistan other wise it is detraining and its result will be the same as Field Hockey and Squash in Pakistan.

POSTED BY
TommytuckerSaffa
on | February 23, 2013, 20:18 GMT

Why do we (SA) only play 9 test matches a year - this is an outrage!

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT

SA need more test cricket, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. Lets get these guys playing more of this beautiful game. We need more of it for sure.

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT

brilliant on debut for Abbott. This shows that SA has quality in bench and will not have a problem when some big guns retire like other teams.

Poor show from pakistan again. Bastman failed again. Hafeez is terribly out of form. he should not open any more.

Pakistan batting was expected to be fail but there bowling has also failed. plus selection errors as well. they sent 3 debutants with junaid and 2 inconsistant performers in shape of Gul/tanveer.

POSTED BY
GlobalCricketLover
on | February 23, 2013, 18:21 GMT

excellent outing from Abbott! Hope for more to come! He definitely looked more intent in making the batsman play - a trait Morkel must make note of. SA looks safe in terms of pace bowling resources! A class spinner would be icing on the cake - hope they find one sooner rather than later..

POSTED BY
SurlyCynic
on | February 23, 2013, 18:14 GMT

Well at least now AB knows what he has to do to get a 'play of the day'! If equaling Jack Russell's all time dismissals-in-a-test record doesn't work, just hit an easy catch and hope it is dropped.

POSTED BY
wc1992
on | February 24, 2013, 8:13 GMT

I really want to know when SA is visting Pak( middle east ).. love to see then there with there so called ruthless attitude ....??

POSTED BY
wc1992
on | February 24, 2013, 8:12 GMT

Pak should not play test till cricket retune to Pak wich is never as zionest will not allow it .....and all the game that Pak play should be accounted as away rather then home as middle east is not Pakistan

POSTED BY
jmcilhinney
on | February 24, 2013, 3:23 GMT

@Sean Van Der Merwe on (February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT) and @TommytuckerSaffa on (February 23, 2013, 20:18 GMT), the funny thing is that the talk elsewhere is about the international schedule being too full and players not being able to play all formats or all series if things don't change. That said, given that England are playing about 15 Tests a year, maybe the ideal number is somewhere in the middle, as well as keeping limited-overs series to no more than 3 games. Now that SA are the dominant force in Test cricket, it is a real shame that they never seem to play more than 3 games in a series.

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 23:31 GMT

Somebody needs to do something about the lack of Test matches that SA plays,, perhaps firdose could write something on it?

SA administrators need to wake up. Our players work so hard, only to be let down by simple admiin bluffs, like failing to organise enough matches. It is extremely unfair on the players that the admin side can't pull their weight.

POSTED BY
Toescrusher
on | February 23, 2013, 22:35 GMT

Batsmen are selected through favoritism and regional bias Hafiz is the product of this policy; traditionally world-class batsmen come from Karachi and bowler from Lahore and its vicinity. PCB have total monopoly in selecting batsmen ICC must notice this monopoly to make cricket stronger sport in Pakistan other wise it is detraining and its result will be the same as Field Hockey and Squash in Pakistan.

POSTED BY
TommytuckerSaffa
on | February 23, 2013, 20:18 GMT

Why do we (SA) only play 9 test matches a year - this is an outrage!

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT

SA need more test cricket, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. Lets get these guys playing more of this beautiful game. We need more of it for sure.

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT

brilliant on debut for Abbott. This shows that SA has quality in bench and will not have a problem when some big guns retire like other teams.

Poor show from pakistan again. Bastman failed again. Hafeez is terribly out of form. he should not open any more.

Pakistan batting was expected to be fail but there bowling has also failed. plus selection errors as well. they sent 3 debutants with junaid and 2 inconsistant performers in shape of Gul/tanveer.

POSTED BY
GlobalCricketLover
on | February 23, 2013, 18:21 GMT

excellent outing from Abbott! Hope for more to come! He definitely looked more intent in making the batsman play - a trait Morkel must make note of. SA looks safe in terms of pace bowling resources! A class spinner would be icing on the cake - hope they find one sooner rather than later..

POSTED BY
SurlyCynic
on | February 23, 2013, 18:14 GMT

Well at least now AB knows what he has to do to get a 'play of the day'! If equaling Jack Russell's all time dismissals-in-a-test record doesn't work, just hit an easy catch and hope it is dropped.

No featured comments at the moment.

POSTED BY
SurlyCynic
on | February 23, 2013, 18:14 GMT

Well at least now AB knows what he has to do to get a 'play of the day'! If equaling Jack Russell's all time dismissals-in-a-test record doesn't work, just hit an easy catch and hope it is dropped.

POSTED BY
GlobalCricketLover
on | February 23, 2013, 18:21 GMT

excellent outing from Abbott! Hope for more to come! He definitely looked more intent in making the batsman play - a trait Morkel must make note of. SA looks safe in terms of pace bowling resources! A class spinner would be icing on the cake - hope they find one sooner rather than later..

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT

brilliant on debut for Abbott. This shows that SA has quality in bench and will not have a problem when some big guns retire like other teams.

Poor show from pakistan again. Bastman failed again. Hafeez is terribly out of form. he should not open any more.

Pakistan batting was expected to be fail but there bowling has also failed. plus selection errors as well. they sent 3 debutants with junaid and 2 inconsistant performers in shape of Gul/tanveer.

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT

SA need more test cricket, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. Lets get these guys playing more of this beautiful game. We need more of it for sure.

POSTED BY
TommytuckerSaffa
on | February 23, 2013, 20:18 GMT

Why do we (SA) only play 9 test matches a year - this is an outrage!

POSTED BY
Toescrusher
on | February 23, 2013, 22:35 GMT

Batsmen are selected through favoritism and regional bias Hafiz is the product of this policy; traditionally world-class batsmen come from Karachi and bowler from Lahore and its vicinity. PCB have total monopoly in selecting batsmen ICC must notice this monopoly to make cricket stronger sport in Pakistan other wise it is detraining and its result will be the same as Field Hockey and Squash in Pakistan.

POSTED BY
on | February 23, 2013, 23:31 GMT

Somebody needs to do something about the lack of Test matches that SA plays,, perhaps firdose could write something on it?

SA administrators need to wake up. Our players work so hard, only to be let down by simple admiin bluffs, like failing to organise enough matches. It is extremely unfair on the players that the admin side can't pull their weight.

POSTED BY
jmcilhinney
on | February 24, 2013, 3:23 GMT

@Sean Van Der Merwe on (February 23, 2013, 18:50 GMT) and @TommytuckerSaffa on (February 23, 2013, 20:18 GMT), the funny thing is that the talk elsewhere is about the international schedule being too full and players not being able to play all formats or all series if things don't change. That said, given that England are playing about 15 Tests a year, maybe the ideal number is somewhere in the middle, as well as keeping limited-overs series to no more than 3 games. Now that SA are the dominant force in Test cricket, it is a real shame that they never seem to play more than 3 games in a series.

POSTED BY
wc1992
on | February 24, 2013, 8:12 GMT

Pak should not play test till cricket retune to Pak wich is never as zionest will not allow it .....and all the game that Pak play should be accounted as away rather then home as middle east is not Pakistan

POSTED BY
wc1992
on | February 24, 2013, 8:13 GMT

I really want to know when SA is visting Pak( middle east ).. love to see then there with there so called ruthless attitude ....??